WESTSHORE – As I write this, I am preparing to head to Nanaimo to attend an annual conference with my friends and colleagues from across the province.
The Chamber of Commerce Executives of BC (CCEBC) is a non-profit membership organization of Chamber professionals which offers education, resources, and support among managers of chambers of commerce and boards of trade in British Columbia. It is governed by a volunteer board made up of chamber executives from across the province who are voted in every year at the Annual General Meeting. It’s been my privilege to be a part of the board since 2019.
There are 97 staffed chambers in BC (and 117 overall), and of these 97, 80 are members of CCEBC. For many of us, this organization is an essential source of information, guidance, and mentorship when it comes to managing our chambers. The chamber network is known for its “rob and duplicate” (R&D) approach. We are constantly sharing information and learning from one another.
This learning works best when those who are new to the chamber network and bring knowledge and experience from other sectors are able to connect with more experienced chamber executives, and those from larger chambers. CEOs of larger chambers don’t always participate in CCEBC because the make-up of their organizations can be very different from smaller chambers. However, when they do, the knowledge sharing they pass on is invaluable.
On which note, I’d like to give a shout out to Bruce Williams, CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber who is about to complete his 5-year term. Many in the Victoria region will know Bruce through his time in media, his volunteer work, his time at the South Island Prosperity Partnership, or his role at the Greater Victoria Chamber. Less well known is how generously and intentionally Bruce has given his time to his colleagues across the chamber network over the last five years. There’s a reason Bruce was awarded the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Canada Chamber Executive of the Year in 2023. Bruce is highly respected by his colleagues, and we will very much miss his knowledge, humour and support within the network. Thank you Bruce!
To find out more about CCEBC, you can go to chamberexecutivesbc.ca
Julie Lawlor is Executive Director at the WestShore Chamber of Commerce
